


i mean no disrespect

by caramelle



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-10-09 16:34:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10416402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caramelle/pseuds/caramelle
Summary: It's decided. Cassian Andor is going to start dating again.The only problem is, Cassian Andor doesn't really know where tostart.Or, the one where Cassian finds himself repeatedly cockblocked by one Jyn Erso. It may or may not be entirely accidental.





	

**Author's Note:**

> okay full disclosure this fic is about three weeks late lmao. i got interrupted by a ton of stuff, and then i just plain FORGOT to post it for the last four days in a row so... there's me. nailing it. as always.
> 
> nonetheless, enjoy!
> 
> teensy little banner for this fic [here](http://caramelkru.tumblr.com/post/158743525041)!
> 
>  
> 
> (title from 'Jealous' by Nick Jonas BUT specifically the remix ft. Tinashe cos that's a Tune)

 

  
  


"You are not allowed to say anything political tonight," is the greeting Jyn gives when she arrives at the bar, one finger pointed in Kay's direction.

 

"Good evening, Jyn," he says in response, his tone perfectly neutral. "Yes, I am well today. And yourself?"

 

"I _mean_ it," she says, sliding into the booth beside a sniggering Bodhi. "I've just had the longest fucking day, and I _refuse_ to sit through anything that's going to either bore me, or make me want to punch something. Or bore me so hard that it makes me want to punch something."

 

"You realise that leaves us all about three topics for conversation," Cassian says, one hand absently patting Kay's shoulder.

 

"You realise that all three of those topics involve the _Indiana Jones_ movies," Bodhi says.

 

"Yes," Jyn says stubbornly, pouring herself a drink from the large pitcher of beer in the middle of the table. "And I don't care."

 

Kay lifts his shoulders in a small shrug. "I have no particular preference myself."

 

"Good," Jyn snaps.

 

Kay's chin dips in a small nod. "Good."

 

And that's how they end up neck deep into another fight, barely ten minutes later.

 

"That's not a good enough _reason_ ," Jyn yells, leaning over the table like she's about to climb up on it and send her foot flying into Kay's face.

 

"Fair point," Bodhi says hastily, reaching out to slide her mug away from her violently gesticulating hands.

 

Kay steeples his long fingers in front of him, elbows resting on the table. "Well, Jyn," he says, "our democracy isn't built on what _you_ do or don't approve of as a _'good enough reason'_." On that last part, he breaks his fingers apart to crook them in air quotes, nose wrinkling with the lowbrow gesture.

 

"Also a fair point," Bodhi blurts automatically, instantly wincing under the fiery glare Jyn shoots his way.

 

"More beer," Cassian decides abruptly, swiping up the nearly empty pitcher on the table. He ducks out of the booth, deliberately ignoring Bodhi's desperately pleading look as he turns towards the bar.

 

Once the bartender's nodded at him in acknowledgement, Cassian sighs, pitching forward to slump against the counter. He's not exactly _annoyed_ with his friends — it'll be at least another ten minutes before he approaches his limits — but it's always nice to get away from their heated arguing, just for a few minutes.

 

"Excuse me," a voice says beside him.

 

He raises his head, turning to look at the tall brunette tapping on his shoulder.

 

"Sorry, I just—" she says, looking a little nervous. "Uh, Ben?"

 

He blinks, pushing himself off the counter to stand up straight. "Er… no, I think you've got the wrong person."

 

Her face falls slightly, like she's disappointed. "Oh. Sorry, you just look a lot like— er, hang on." She reaches into her purse, digging her phone out. Cassian waits as she clicks the display on, thumbs clicking and sliding for a few seconds.

 

She looks up again, turning the screen towards him so he can see the Tinder profile displayed on it. "I'm waiting for my date," she confesses with a small smile. "It's our first one, so I haven't actually met him before, and I couldn't really tell, in this lighting and all—"

 

"Yeah, no," he says, brows lifting in surprise. The photo's in black and white, and the guy's half-covered in shadow, but whatever _is_ exposed of his face sort of _does_ resemble Cassian's. If he squints a little, at least.

 

"That kind of _does_ look like me, actually." He smiles reassuringly, eyes crinkling as he turns to face her properly. "Sorry to disappoint."

 

Her face flushes, visible even under the dim yellow lighting of the bar.

 

"No, not at all, I—" She cuts herself off with a laugh, one hand running through her brown locks. "I'm sorry," she says again. "I'm just a little nervous. It's been a while, you know?"

 

Cassian huffs a rueful laugh. "You can say that again," he mutters, shaking his head before looking back up at the brunette. "Anyway, try to relax. Take a deep breath. Have a good time tonight. You know," he adds with a crooked grin, "for all of us out here who haven't had a first date to be nervous about in a long, _long_ time."

 

She laughs, clearly a lot less on edge than before. "I will, thank you. Oh," she adds, extending her hand, "I'm Christine, by the way."

 

"Cassian," he says, shaking her hand. "Seriously, though — I hope it goes well."

 

She grins, one hand combing through her long dark strands yet again. "Trust me, so do I. Although, if it doesn't, I—"

 

And then Jyn materialises at his side.

 

"Cassian," she says, in that commanding tone of voice that he knows is Jyn's completely unique version of a petulant whine, "Kay is making us all sit through another lecture on how the fucking electoral college functions and you need to come and stop him, _right now._ "

 

He sighs, and casts a wry glance at Christine. She already has both brows lifted high on her forehead, eyes wide with surprise.

 

"Christine," he says, already smiling ruefully despite himself, "this is Jyn."

 

Jyn blinks, turning sharply towards Christine as if noticing her presence for the first time. "Oh. Hello." She looks at Cassian, brows furrowed. "Am I interrupting something?"

 

"No, not at all," Christine says quickly, her smiling eyes flicking to him and back to Jyn. "I should probably let Cassian get back to you and your friends, anyway."

 

"Well, actually," he starts to say, "I'm waiting for the—"

 

A fresh pitcher of beer appears on the counter, the empty one whisked away by the bustling bartender.

 

"Beer," he finishes, blinking in surprise. "Which is… here."

 

"Well, great," Jyn says, stepping into his space to grab the pitcher off the counter, her thigh pressing against his. "Let's go, then. Before I dump this one all over Kay's head. Bye," she adds to Christine over her shoulder, already stalking back towards their booth.

 

Pretending to roll his eyes, Cassian casts one last apologetic smile at Christine.

 

“Good luck with your date,” he says, already turning to follow Jyn.

 

“Good luck with yours!” Christine calls back.

 

He almost pauses to ask a bewildered _‘what’_ — but then Jyn reaches their booth, and he spots the way Kay’s mouth opens, his friend’s thick brows arching above his glasses in the exact way they do whenever Kay thinks he's about to do someone a favour, no matter how unwelcome.

 

“Fuck,” Cassian mutters, breaking into a hasty stride towards their table, just as Jyn raises the full pitcher of beer over Kay’s head.

 

They manage to save a good three-quarters of the jug.

 

“It’s a good thing I’ve made sure to keep my reflexes sharp,” Kay grouses primly as they're dabbing the last of the beer off his vacated seat.

 

Cassian automatically rests a hand on Jyn’s arm, pushing her clenched fist back down to her side.

 

“Yep,” he says, as Jyn huffs exasperatedly at his shoulder. “Good thing.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The encounter with Christine stays with Cassian far longer than he expects it to.

 

Technically, a lot of it has to do with her parting _"Good luck with yours"._ He still can't quite figure out what she'd meant by it.

 

Nevertheless, that short conversation with her had made him realise something.

 

He _misses_ dating.

 

As stressful and frustrating as it got sometimes, it was also a lot of _fun._ He got to meet plenty of interesting new people (and some less interesting ones). He got to put on something nicer than an old flannel shirt, and go to places with stuff like wine lists, and cloth napkins. He got to have eventful conversations with pretty girls, conversations that either broadened his mind or left it with a faint migraine.

 

Sometimes he got to kiss them afterwards. Sometimes he got a lot more than just a kiss.

 

No offense to his friends, but he never gets _that_ after hanging out with any of them.

 

It's not that he doesn't love his friends. For all their faults — for every, single one of them — he _does_ love them _._ To _death._

 

Nevertheless, it's always good to get away from them for a night or two.

 

It's probably for the best. Let Chirrut and Baze babysit for a change. They've been slacking off ever since they got married a year ago, anyway.

 

Before that, they'd already been together for something like twelve fucking years. They're way past deserving of a honeymoon period, so Cassian doesn't even have to feel guilty about foisting the others on them.

 

So, yeah. It's decided.

 

Cassian Andor is going to start dating again.

 

 

* * *

  

 

The only problem is, Cassian Andor doesn't really know where to start.

 

He downloads Tinder and fucks around on it for a bit, but after a couple of days, he deletes it. It just feels way too catalogue-y for his comfort. Whatever, he's an old-fashioned guy, okay? He likes _meeting_ someone, face to face, hearing their voice, with a proper handshake and everything. Somehow, a few carefully curated selfies and ten minutes of _'hey what's up'_ , _'nothing how about you'_ interspersed with random emojis just doesn't cut it for him.

 

So he decides to stick with his comfort zone — bars.

 

Although, with bars, there's always the _slight_ problem of his friends.

 

Obviously, he can't just _go_ to a bar alone. What kind of creep hangs round bars alone, just looking to hit on a girl? He's lonely, all right? Not _desperate._

 

There's no way he can ask just _one_ of them, either. Jyn is aggressively allergic to the entire spectrum of human emotion, and therefore clearly out of the question. Kay is, by default, a terrible wingman. Bodhi is, somehow, even worse. (He tries too hard, that's all. He gets jumpy when he tries too hard. It's not ideal for putting strangers at ease.)  

 

Also, for all of Kay and Jyn's constant fighting, it somehow works out that they're the most active members of the group text. If Cassian ever tried to invite just _one_ of them out, he'd barely even have hit 'send' before they'd be broadcasting the news to the entire group, complete with venue, time, and dress code.

 

It's not _intentional,_ exactly. At least, he doesn't think so.

 

But still, it's the weirdest fucking frenemy bond he's ever seen.

 

The _point_ is — if Cassian wants to go to a bar, he's left with no choice but to ask them _all_ out.

 

"We just _saw_ each other two days ago," Jyn grumbles, swiping a slice of pizza from the large platter in the centre of the table.

 

"No, this is good," Bodhi says with a bright grin, rolling his shoulders like he's prepared to lead a high school pep rally. "This is what I've been _saying_! If we hang out more, we're only gonna get better at. You know. _Not_ fighting all the time."

 

Kay sniffs delicately. "You _do_ know what familiarity has famously been said to breed, right?"

 

"Yes," Bodhi says stubbornly. "A healthy social environment built on brotherly love and mutual support. I mean," he says hastily at Jyn's pointed glare, "not _brotherly_ love, _specifically_ — but, uh, _brotherly_ love! You know. Like, what people mean when they say 'brethren'. Not to _exclude_ females or anything, but just as an _overarching—_ "

 

"Quit while you're ahead," Cassian suggests, popping a fallen piece of sausage into his mouth.

 

"Yep," Bodhi agrees instantly, looking vastly relieved for the interjection.

 

Not for the first time, Cassian contemplates telling the others about his recent decision.

 

Also not for the first time, he quickly arrives at the conclusion that he most definitely should _not_ do that.

 

It's really not that he wants to keep _secrets_ from his friends, or anything. It's just that once he tells them, it's inevitably going to become another Topic of Discussion, and, more importantly, be turned into argument fodder for Jyn and Kay. They already have plenty enough of _that,_ thank you very much.

 

Alternatively, once he tells them, everyone's going to try and _help._

 

Honestly, he can't decide which possibility is worse.

 

Jyn pushes up in her seat, craning her neck to see the blackboard menu hanging over the bar. "Do they have any sweet potato fries?"

 

Kay pushes his glasses up on his nose. "It's been scientifically proven multiple times that the sweet potato alternative to fries isn't _actually_ healthier."

 

Jyn's eyes swivel over to him, already narrowing dangerously. "I didn't _say_ I wanted something healthier. I just want some fucking sweet potato fries."

 

"It's two dollars more than regular fries," Kay points out calmly. "It's not worth paying forty percent more than what you would for regular fries."

 

Jyn braces her forearms on the table. "Well, I don't _want_ regular fries," she says, through gritted teeth. "I want the _sweet potato shit._ "

 

"I'll get it," Cassian cuts in, before Kay can respond. "Anyone want anything else?"

 

"Ooh, more napkins, please!" Bodhi says cheerfully, clearly oblivious to the way Jyn is still glaring daggers into Kay's profile.

 

"Sure," Cassian says, turning towards the bar. The sooner Jyn gets her fries, the lower the possibility of one or more persons ending up in the E.R. tonight.  

 

And, well — if he happens to meet anyone along the way, that's just a happy coincidence, isn't it?

 

Which is _exactly_ what he counts Laura as.

 

"That's incredible," she exclaims, brushing her brown bangs out of her eyes. "I've never actually _met_ a private investigator before! Do you just get a lot of angry wives coming in looking to find out if their husbands are cheating on them?"

 

Cassian laughs, turning to lean an elbow against the counter. "You'd be surprised how often it turns out to be the _other_ way round, actually." He grins, a prickle of satisfaction flaring up at the laugh that he manages to evoke from Laura. "But, seriously speaking, there's really not that many infidelity cases. Most of the time, it's just lawyers and high-rollers, looking for dirt on case opponents and business rivals."

 

Laura mirrors his movements, lifting her own arm to rest against the counter. "Still, it sounds so _interesting_ ," she says. She pauses deliberately, head tilting sideways. "I'd _love_ to hear more about that, actually."

 

He catches the glint of clear interest in her eyes, the slight forward lean of her torso.

 

"Well," he says, reaching towards his back pocket for his phone, "if you wanted, we could—"

 

And then Jyn appears at his side.

 

"I hear _one_ more word from Kay about my health," she announces, face flushed with irritation, "and he's gonna get a full body check-up real soon. With my _fists_ , that is." She frowns, glancing past him to the counter. "Are those my fries?"

 

He blinks, head swivelling towards the same direction. "No, they're not here y—"

 

A large serving of sweet potato fries is sitting right in front of him, fresh steam wafting from the basket.

 

"Oh," he says blankly. "Right. Yeah."

 

"Awesome," Jyn says lightly, reaching past him to grab the basket. "It's okay, I'll get it." She pushes up on her tiptoes to reach all the way across him and the counter, one hand braced on his knee for support.

 

He remains completely motionless, suddenly acutely aware of the discomforting weight of Laura's inscrutable gaze trained on them both. This _thing_ that's happening — it's not weird, is it? He and Jyn have always been sort of tactile that way. Kay and Bodhi have certainly never said anything about it. Neither have Chirrut and Baze.

 

Why is Laura looking at them like _that_ ? Does it _look_ weird?

 

Jyn drops back down onto her heels, basket of fries in hand as she steps back to raise a brow at him. "Come on, then," she says, her tone faultlessly nonchalant as she turns back towards their table. "Pizza's getting cold."

 

Silence descends in the wake of Jyn's departure, a departure that's every bit as abrupt and sudden as her arrival had been.

 

Slowly, Cassian pushes off the barstool, not quite meeting Laura's eye.

 

"Nice to meet you," he says lamely, before turning away from the bar.

 

 

* * *

  

 

Three days later, he's just about to get Samantha's number when Jyn materialises out of nowhere, insisting that he back up her story about skinny-dipping in Miami on a spring break dare to a skeptical Kay.

 

It _really_ doesn't help that she adds _"You HAVE to. You were the only one there!"_ in front of Samantha, in a volume that most definitely ranks above Covert Whisper.

 

He decides that instead of trying to explain to Samantha why he'd been the only one present when his very stubborn, very _female_ friend had stripped naked and jumped into the sea, it'd be a lot easier to just excuse himself and let Jyn tug him back to their table, where a stone-faced Kay awaits.

 

The week after that, he's literally known Vanessa's name for all of five seconds before Jyn stomps up to him, face red with exasperation and pool cue chalk smeared along her jawline. He can't quite tell in the dim lighting of the bar, but it _looks_ like she's got the broken-off end of a cue stick clenched in one fist, too.

 

He doesn't wait for Vanessa to spot it, though. Instead, he leaps off the stool with a hasty apology, hands wrapping around Jyn's shoulders to steer her _away_ from the pool table (where Kay is idly racking up for another game with Bodhi).

 

Pretty much the same thing happens with Rachel.

 

And Marie.

 

And Gabriella.

 

And that other girl, whose name he doesn't even manage to _get_ before Jyn materialises at his side out of thin air.

 

 

* * *

 

 

After he crashes out with Isabel in spectacular but unsurprisingly Jyn-driven fashion, Cassian decides that what he needs is a timeout.

 

So, naturally, he volunteers himself to get the next round of drinks. As he's already been doing for the last four _weeks._

 

He keeps his eyes firmly fixed on the bar while he waits, not even letting himself so much as _glance_ around, for fear of catching anyone's eye.

 

Which is why he _genuinely_ doesn't see Kay coming.

 

"Do you seriously think this plan is going to work?"

 

He jumps, whipping round to stare at his friend. "Holy sh— Kay, what the _fuck_ —"

 

Kay folds his lanky frame into the seat next to Cassian's. "Should I revert to the practice of announcing myself whenever I approach?"

 

Cassian shakes his head. "No, it's— _no._ Shit. Sorry." He blinks, his brain catching up with him. "Wait, what plan?"

 

Kay shrugs, his thin shoulders jerking up and down. "This exceedingly roundabout plan of yours to force Jyn into showing her hand."

 

Cassian blinks, his mouth hanging open. " _What_ hand?!"

 

Kay's head tilts downwards, frowning through his glasses like he's trying to read another language. "Are you not making romantic advances on other women in order to make Jyn jealous?"

 

Cassian opens his mouth.

 

And then he closes it.

 

And opens it again, eyes wide.

 

"Uh. _No_?!"

 

Kay blinks, looking oddly caught off guard. It's a strange expression on him. Cassian's not sure he's ever _seen_ Kay looking like he's been _caught_ _off guard_ before.

 

"Oh," he says, and, _what the fuck?_ Why does he sound like _that_? Like he's almost… _disappointed_?!

 

"Kay, what—" Cassian stops, and closes his eyes. Shaking his head, he opens them again, turning to frown at his friend. "I'm doing it because I _want_ to, okay? No ulterior motive or anything. I'm really just— what was it— 'making romantic advances' for the sake of it, all right?"

 

Kay's brows furrow together slightly as he hums, contemplative. "So that's why you downloaded Tinder."

 

Cassian's nose scrunches. "How the hell do you know that I downloaded Tinder?"

 

Kay sniffs primly. "Do refrain from asking me any further questions about your iCloud account, Cassian. It's not appropriate at all, and _certainly_ not legal."

 

Cassian stares at him, gobsmacked.

 

"In any case," Kay continues calmly, pushing his glasses up on his nose, "if you _were_ doing it to make Jyn jealous, at this juncture, I would let you know that it was working."

 

Cassian huffs exasperatedly. "I just _told_ you, Kay, I'm not—"

 

He trails off abruptly, brows lifting high on his forehead as he processes Kay's words. "Hold on. It's _what_ now?"

 

Kay sighs, in that sharp, impatient way he does whenever he thinks something is so simple that he's offended by the mere thought of having to explain it.

 

"Jyn is a… _confrontational_ person," he says, nose wrinkling stiffly as he searches for the appropriate descriptor. "The argumentative nature of my relationship with her has never been in question. It certainly isn't a _new_ development. However," Kay adds, his usual monotone deepening with emphasis, "her recent habit of seeking you out in search of a resolution to our quarrels would very well qualify as one."

 

Cassian blinks, struggling to catch up. Over the years, he's become more or less accustomed to Kay's high-flown, technical style of speaking. He barely even has to pause to translate it to everyday speech in his head anymore.

 

Right now, though?

 

Right now, some unnameable thing is fogging up all the corners of his mind, making it rather difficult to _breathe,_ let alone think.

 

"Uh huh," he says slowly.

 

He looks up at Kay. He blinks.

 

Kay exhales tightly, nostrils flaring. "Jyn is cockblocking you on purpose."

 

Cassian stares at him, stunned.

 

The word 'cockblocking' just came out of Kay's mouth, he thinks dazedly. Kay just said _'cockblocking'._

 

He actually has to take a minute to recover.

 

When he does, Kay is still waiting, with the same unimpressed look levelled in his direction.

 

"Uh, right," Cassian says hastily, shifting in his seat.

 

Suddenly, he pauses, brows knitting together. "Wait. Not right. That doesn't sound like Jyn at all." He shakes his head. "She's abrasive, sure, but she's never been _malicious._ She wouldn't sabotage any of us like that."

 

Kay nods sagely. "No, she wouldn't."

 

Cassian squints, now thoroughly confused. "You just said it was on purpose."

 

Kay straightens in his seat, looking slightly affronted. "It _is_ on purpose," he says, short with exasperation. "I never said that purpose was a fully reasoned, consciously active one."

 

Cassian frowns. "So Jyn… doesn't know _why_ she's doing it?"

 

Kay looks at him, expression flat.

 

"When it comes to matters of the heart," he says, his upper lip curling as if in distaste for the phrase, "I believe we can both agree on this: it's far more likely that Jyn doesn't _want_ to know."

 

 

* * *

 

  

The first thing Cassian figures out is that he should probably talk to Jyn about this, one on one. He definitely doesn't need an audience when he attempts to broach an emotion-centric topic with Jyn — much less an audience that comprises Kay and Bodhi.

 

So he grabs at her elbow as they're spilling out of the bar, tugging her aside as Kay and Bodhi start pulling up their Uber apps.

 

"Hey," he says, his mouth going dry all of a sudden, "can we talk?"

 

She frowns, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "'Course. What's up?"

 

He glances over at Kay and Bodhi, and then back at her. "I mean, uh, _properly._ Maybe tomorrow?" He allows himself no more than a moment's hesitation. "Dinner? It's on me."

 

She squints up at him, face scrunching intently.

 

"Okay," she says after a long beat. "Yeah, sure." She pauses again, eyes roving over his face. "Everything all right?"

 

"Fine, it's fine," he says hurriedly, as Kay and Bodhi turn towards them. "Great. Tomorrow, then."

 

She shrugs, falling into step with him as he starts towards their friends. "Okay."

 

 _Awesome,_ he thinks to himself once he's in his own cab headed home. _This time tomorrow, everything will be cleared right up. Perfect._

 

Don't fucking ask him why his taxi pulls up in front of Jyn's building five minutes later.

 

Don't bother asking him why he's standing in front of her apartment two minutes after that, knuckles rapping hollowly on the door.

 

"Are you _serious_?" Jyn demands as she pulls the door open. "It's not even— oh," she says when she sees it's him, the frown melting from her face. "I thought you were my neighbour."

 

He pauses, everything he's been gearing up to say over the last ten minutes dissipating into nothingness within an instant. "What?"

 

She shrugs nonchalantly at his confused expression. "The guy in 3B? He has this thing about dropping by late at night to borrow weird shit. Like lemons. Or baking powder."

 

He stares at her, stunned. "You don't _have_ baking powder. You don't have baking _anything._ "

 

She snorts, pulling the door wider to let him in. "You're telling _me._ I'd say it's the most pathetic come-on I've seen in my _life,_ but, not gonna lie — he's not terrible-looking. Not the brightest, sure, but not terrible-looking." She pauses, tilting her head. "Are you coming in?"

 

He blinks with a start, shaking his head briskly before striding into the apartment. "Yeah, I'm really sorry to bother you like this, I just—" He stops, one shoe already yanked off and in his hand. "Sorry, can I just— _who_ is this guy again?"

 

Jyn closes the door behind him. "3B? Not entirely sure, to be honest. He just moved in a couple months ago."

 

She turns around to face him, nose scrunching in thought. "Although I think he might be some kind of _chef,_ maybe? He's always bringing round food that he's 'accidentally cooked too much of'," she says, complete with air quotes. She waves a careless hand. "Not that I'm complaining, though. His shrimp scampi is, all jokes aside, kind of amazing."

 

Cassian's scoffing before he can even think about it. " _I_ can cook shrimp scampi," he grumbles under his breath.

 

Noticing the questioning look Jyn casts his way as she moves past him, he clears his throat. "I mean," he says, reverting to a more normal volume, "yeah, that definitely sounds like a… like a come-on."

 

 _Okay, now ask her about the cockblocking,_ his brain commands.

 

He coughs, starting forward to follow her into the kitchen. "So, do you and Mister 3B ever — I don't know — hang out?"

 

Jyn hums lightly as she grabs two glasses, sticking them under the tap to fill them with water. "Not really? I mean, he came in this one time because my coffee machine was all stuck or something — oh, yeah, remind me to tell Kay his Christmas presents _suck_ — so he unstuck it for me, and I offered him some as thanks."

 

"Oh," Cassian says. Why is it so _tight_ in his throat? He takes a deep gulp of air, clenching his fists in an oxymoronic attempt to relax. "So, you… had coffee with him. Here."

 

"Yep. Here," she says breezily, pressing one of the filled glasses into his hand. "Also, maybe you should take your jacket off? You look sort of warm."

 

He jerks abruptly, spinning round to follow her into the living room. "Must be from the bar," he lies, switching the glass over to his other hand so he can peel off his jacket.

 

It's probably a stupid lie, too. He rarely _ever_ turns red from alcohol. _Jyn_ turns red from alcohol, not him.

 

Which is why he doesn't blame her for the double take she gives him.

 

"Right," she says slowly, sinking down onto the couch. The TV's stuck on some sci-fi show he doesn't recognise, the screen frozen from where she'd paused it to answer the door.

 

She cocks her head as he sits down on the other end, jacket successfully removed.

 

"Are you drunk?" she asks, her tone direct but not accusatory.

 

He barks a wry laugh, shaking his head as he takes a bracing gulp of water. At this point, he kind of wishes he _were_ drunk.

 

"No, Jyn, I'm not—" he clears his throat, setting the glass on the coffee table. "So, what else have you and, uh, 3B done?"

 

She frowns at him, brows knitting together in the centre of her forehead. "Why are you so interested in my _neighbour_ all of a sudden?"

 

Wow, he's never felt blood rush to his ears like _that_ before.

 

"I'm—" he starts, shifting on the couch. "It's not— I mean—"

 

She squints, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Is this some kind of research you're doing for Kay? Tell him to stop doing his stupid human behaviour observation rubbish on me, okay? It's really fucking annoyi—"

 

"It's not Kay," he blurts out, raking a rough hand through his hair. Fuck, why is it so hard to fucking _breathe_? His chest feels like it's being _squeezed_ by some kind of invisible corset.

 

"Look," he barrels on, not meeting Jyn's gaze, "can you— do you _like_ the guy or something?"

 

"Do I..." She stares at him, bemused. "What does that have to do with—"

 

She breaks off suddenly, her eyes widening. "Oh. _Oh._ "

 

"What 'oh'?" he demands, bristling. Why is the mere _mention_ of this 3B guy making Jyn sit up straight like _that_ ? _Jesus,_ her eyes are practically _sparkling._ Jyn doesn't _sparkle._ What the _fuck._

 

"What does _'oh'_ mean?" he repeats forcefully, his brows drawing tight.

 

She sets her own glass down on the table beside his before turning to face him, her expression solemn.

 

"Cassian," she says, slowly and clearly, "are you… _jealous_?"

 

At this point, he becomes vaguely aware of a shrill, tinny ringing in his left ear.

 

"No," he says automatically.

 

Jyn squints up at him. "Right. Because it's starting to feel like you came all the way here just to interrogate me about my neighbour."

 

The ensuing silence stretches between, thick with some unnameable thing.

 

Cassian clenches his hand into a tight fist. And then he unclenches it, and clenches it again.

 

"Yes."

 

Jyn leans back, both brows lifted in surprise. "You came all the way here just for that? Couldn't it have waited till—"

 

"No," Cassian says, shaking his head. "Not yes to _that._ I mean… yes to the _other_ thing."

 

A pause.

 

"Oh," Jyn says.

 

Another long pause. She blinks.

 

"Okay," she says, slowly. She looks away, and then back at him. "So… what now?"

 

Cassian can actually _feel_ his blood pumping in his veins, rhythmic and steady. It's the strangest fucking thing.

 

After a long moment, he clears his throat, and looks at Jyn.

 

"Nothing," he decides, with a small nod. "Nothing now. But tomorrow," he says, before Jyn can react, "tomorrow, we're not going to some shitty old bar. We're going to a _restaurant,_ all right? The kind I need to wear a collar to get into."

 

Jyn appears to consider it.

 

"All right," she says, with a tilt of her head. "But only if we go to a shitty old bar _after_ that. Restaurants like that don't ever have any good beer."

 

He grins, liquid sunshine spreading through his system.

 

"It's a date."

 

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, Jyn opens the door and kisses him right away.

 

His hands fly to her waist on pure impulse, but other than that, he's too stunned to respond as enthusiastically as he'd like. Unfortunately, she's pulling back before he can gather his wits about him, his lips instantly feeling bereft at the loss of the warmth of hers.

 

He blinks dazedly as she steps back, a satisfied smile stretched across her face.

 

"You're supposed to do that at the _end_ of the date," he manages to say as she turns to shut her door. He hopes she doesn't notice how breathless it comes out.

 

She shrugs, turning the key with a flourish before looking back at him, eyes dancing with amusement. "Who says I'm not going to do that, too?"

 

Yeah — Cassian really, _really_ likes dating.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> comments/kudos always mighty appreciated!
> 
> icmyi, a banner for this fic can be found [here](http://caramelkru.tumblr.com/post/158743525041)!
> 
> ravioli ravioli i'm on [tumblr-oli](http://caramelkru.tumblr.com)


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